Megan Nicholls turns her attention to talent spotting with Premier Sale purchase

A new name appeared among the list of buyers at this week's Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, albeit one that is already familiar for a variety of reasons beyond the bloodstock scene.

Megan Nicholls is well established as a talented rider and has also become a regular fixture of the respective broadcast teams of Racing TV and ITV Racing, but is plainly intent on being one of the busiest people in the sport by adding talent spotting at the sales to her already packed schedule.

Nicholls, who struck a bid of £60,000 to secure the Profitable half-brother to the Listed-placed Sunsprite offered by Lodge Park Stud during day one of the Premier Sale, explains that the purchase came about after being approached by her Racing TV colleagues Chris and Martin Dixon.

"I bought the horse for owner Laurence Bellman, which is an association that started through the Dixon brothers," she says. "I've worked with them on Racing TV this year and they've both been really good to me.

"They obviously do a lot more at the horses-in-training sales, they're encyclopedias of form, so once Laurence was on board they wanted someone to do more on the physical side of selecting horses at the sales, so they approached me about teaming up.

"Laurence was very open minded when it came to what we bought, whether it was a sprint-bred type or more of a longer-term prospect, it was just a case of finding the right horse.

"We went through the catalogue and had a good look at a load of them. We managed to whittle it down to a shortlist and the horse we bought was at the very top of the six we had on our list, so we were all delighted about landing him."

Although the Profitable colt was the first horse Nicholls has signed for solely under her own name, she has already gained plenty of experience alongside some seasoned operators in the bloodstock world. And, having gained support from several owners and trainers this year, she hopes to be active again as the yearling sales season progresses.

"It's definitely something I want to do more of," she says of her work at the sales. "I've been following a few people around for the last couple of years trying to learn as much as I can, but at some stage you have to stand on your own two feet, so hopefully this year will prove a good opportunity to open a few more doors.

Megan Nicholls partners Whataguy (black colours), who she purchased with Tom Malone for £25,000, to victory at BrightonCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"I've got a few different people who have said they'll support me this year, which is great, so I'll be at all the sales. Obviously there's a long sales season ahead so hopefully we can get a few more along the way - hopefully there'll be a couple of nice ones in there too."

Nicholls has previously had a hand in making purchases with other agents, including signing alongside Tom Malone for the dual winner Whataguy, who is among the 79 winners she has partnered in the saddle on the Flat over the last five seasons, and she teamed up with Stephen Hillen to secure the progressive two-year-old Pockett Rockett at this year's Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale.

She also had an involvement in unearthing one of the year's best juveniles in Atomic Force, who won the Group 3 Prix du Bois and Group 2 Prix Robert Papin before his transfer to Hong Kong for new connections. The son of Cotai Glory was knocked down to Hillen and the colt's trainer Kevin Ryan for £22,000 at last year's Goffs Sportman's Sale.

"I've been very fortunate as I went to the Sportsman's Sale with Kevin Ryan when it was relocated to Doncaster and picked out Atomic Force," says Nicholls. "He was my pick of the sale and I absolutely loved him. He's turned out to be very talented and is a two-time Group winner so he's the one who's done me the most favours so far.

"If we can find another like him it would be great, but the main thing at the moment is just about building a client base and establishing some relationships. Starting my own bloodstock agency is a longer-term aim but that's not something that'll happen overnight."

Megan Nicholls after winning the Silk Series for Lady Riders for the third timeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Despite Nicholls' own pedigree, being the daughter of 11-time champion National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls, and having landed her biggest career victory in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree earlier in the year, she says her focus is firmly on the Flat when it comes to the sales.

"I don't mind the jumps sales but it's not really my cup of tea and it's not really where I'll be looking at working," she says. "I've been fortunate enough to learn plenty from Dad, Tom Malone and Anthony Bromley over the years, but I much prefer the Flat and that's the route I'll be looking to go down.

"The yearling sales are what I really enjoy and I'm hoping to do a bit more at the foal sales later this year as well."

For most people the demands of one vocation are more than enough to keep them occupied, but, with a hectic sales season just hitting top gear, Nicholls says she is relishing the prospect of balancing buying duties alongside her commitments as a jockey and her burgeoning role on TV.

"I think I'll be flat out with a bit of everything, which is great," she says of the upcoming months' schedule. "I'm always looking to open a few new doors and keep learning plenty in all of those avenues, so hopefully I can keep busy over the coming months and be busy at the sales well into the winter when the Flat racing starts to slow down a bit."

More news from the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale:

Harry Angel colt a 'man against boys' after topping Premier Sale at £220,000

John Dance spending spree headlined by £120,000 Dark Angel colt at Premier Sale

Reasons for positivity despite a paucity of flashy prices in Doncaster (£)

'There has been a real buzz' - total sales exceed £13 million at Premier Sale

First-crop sires in demand as Havana Grey colt fetches £110,000